different
by BubblesToo
Summary: Sakura goes missing for four months, then suddenly they find her in a ditch. She's different, she's stopped talking to everyone, and any trace of her old self seems to be gone. "what did she go through those four months?" sasusaku – post war – cannon – blank period – post redemption
1. Missing

**here's a multi-chapter fanfic, honestly first time writing so much. but more to come. I randomly came up with this during my french class and just started writing and writing well, here it is enjoy! oh and tell me if I made any grammar mistakes or any changes should be done to make this better, thanks!**

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Nights in Konoha were never irritating or uncomfortable. The wind blowing was soothing against her sweaty skin, leaves slightly rustling due to the soft breeze. The moon illuminates angelically upon everything the light can reach. The skies are filled with stars, not one cloud in sight. And the streets are calm with no other person in view.

Sakura leaves the hospital after staying for almost a week, digging through piles and piles of paperwork. Never once taking a step outside the building. Earlier in the week a group of Anbu had arrived in emergency all battered up and in critical condition. She had to immediately attend to their wounds.

A new poison was used against them, and they only had about a weeks worth of time to live if the antidote is not created. Sakura spent countless days and nights trying to come up with the antidote. And man was that a pain in the ass to make. She had to double-check and be sure to oversee everything checking her patients' statuses and recovery.

After she'd do her normal routine of checking the children's mental health clinic, making sure it's running smoothly. Knowing that everything in the clinic and hospital is going fine she retreats to her office to finish the gigantic pile of paperwork that awaits her.

And that leaves us with a now tired, exhausted, and hungry Sakura.

Sakura's is hit with a gust of soothing cool air the moment she steps out of the hospital. She shudders at the feeling of the cool air hitting her sweaty skin, goosebumps forming on her pale skin.

Slowly, she heads towards the direction of her apartment sluggishly. Breathing in the fresh air and smelling the strong scent of pine. She's drained of chakra and needs food, a shower and sleep. Her complexion is drained of any life, the dark circles underneath her eyes are magnified by her creamy ivory skin, and her figure skinnier due to neglected meals and self-care.

She can't remember the last time she ate, probably days ago. And when was the last time she went out? 'ugh I could really use a shower, maybe I should hang out with Ino tomorrow, and check to see if Naruto is fine. and visit Kakashi-sensei, he needs to actually finish his paperwork shannaro'. But now all the pinkette could think about is the warm shower and bed that awaits her.

But like many other nights, a certain raven-haired man is plaguing her thoughts once again.

A painful throb hits her heart, its been almost 2 years since Sasuke had left the Konoha doors to go on his journey of redemption. They've exchanged messages throughout his journey, ever since the Kido incident.

Her hand unconsciously clutches at her chest, a nostalgic smile grace her face when she thinks of the letter she and Naruto had sent him a few weeks ago. The case involving the exploding humans in Kumo, she noted that he was like a one-man police force, helping out people whenever he could.

Sakura was extremely proud of the man he had become, one no longer driven by darkness, but now by light and a new beginning.

If only he would come home soon...

A heavy sigh comes from the pinkette, she understood, she knew. When he was ready to return home, he would. And her, Naruto, and Kakashi would welcome him back.

_I hope you're safe out there Sasuke-Kun..._

Finally reaching her apartment, she unlocks her door swiftly and takes off her shoes and doctors coat. She checks the fridge for any leftover food. Settling for an onigiri and apple, she quickly chomps down the and dashes towards the bathroom -albeit sluggishly- and begins to quickly wash off all the blood and sweat that had built up for the past week.

Slowly dragging her tired body towards her bedroom. Her head is painfully throbbing and her legs are wobbly and trembling. She feels soreness in her back from hours and hours of paperwork.

chakra exhaustion was always a pain in the ass...

Sakura flops ungracefully onto her bed and sinks into her silk sheets. Her head dropping down to her pillow, the softness swallowing up her head as she, quickly drifts off to a dreamless desperately needed sleep.

She was so deep in sleep she didn't hear the slow sharp sound of metal scraping. Her window slowly sliding up or the countless suppressed chakra signatures outside and inside her apartment. She stirs, a little angry because her much needed sleep is disrupted.

A sharp poke on her arm causes her eyes to tiredly snap open with rage, and she's greeted by a group of ninja with masks in her room. That are definitely not Anbu.

Sakura quickly grabs her emergency kunai from under her pillow and jumps up into a fighting stance. The sudden movement causing a wave of nausea to hit her "Who are you?" she demands

When she receives no response but instead an attempted punch towards her form. Sakura immediately starts to dodge and fight back. Her body is tired and swaying back and forth. She throws unprecise punches and kicks towards the enemy which they easily dodge.

Digging into what's left of her chakra reserves, she summons chakra to her hands, hoping to pulverize the enemy. And that's when she realizes that she'd been injected with a chakra blocker and possibly a sedative. She bites back a curse and tries her best to fight through the sedative and without any chakra.

Her efforts are useless against the group of ninja. She's at a severe disadvantage, outnumbered 1:15. Shes drained of chakra, her whole body feels like lead.

And before she knows it, she's been kicked in the stomach, flying through her walls. She hits the ground and coughs up blood. Her vision is blurry, dark blotches covering her vision.

The last thing she remembers is a man with long brown hair taking his mask off smirking as she falls unconscious.

She wakes up in a cold dim room, tied up in chakra restraints.

.

.

_Sakura Haruno._

_status: missing_

_last seen: 1 month ago outside the hospital_

_._

.

_you're like the one-man police force!_

it's been a while, maybe ill go home?

.

.

Sasuke jumps from tree to tree as he set his pace, heading towards Konoha.

Though he would never admit it, he'd miss team 7 terribly. With the exception of Sai of course – his fake smiles were really creepy -.

He'd miss especially the Pinkette. He wanted to surprise her by the sudden visit. Its almost been a month since the last letter, he'd written a reply, but it was only meant for Sakura.

She never wrote back.

It was a little suspicious, knowing that Sakura would normally reply to his messages right away.

In the last letter, she had complimented that he was somewhat like a one-man police force. This revived old memories of him and Itachi, it hurt to think of the past, but he'd learn to accept it.

_Home, _he had said, no home wasn't Konoha, home was Sakura.

The raven-haired man unconsciously quickens his pace as his thoughts drift to his pink-haired teammate. Teammate? Was she just a teammate, no she was more than that? He had thought about it for quite some time now and it took him a while to realize that he'd reciprocate her feelings.

His silent promise and subtle plead for her to wait for him before he set out on his redemption journey two years ago. The forehead tap that his beloved brother had shown him, passed onto her.

Of course, she didn't understand what it meant. It was more of a reassurance to him that she was the one for him. And she would always be the one for him. His heart swells yet painfully thuds at the same time, the thought that she had waited for him for so long and him for making her wait so long. But now he was returning back home to her.

He snaps out of his thoughts when a strong familiar chakra signature starts to approach him.

He instantly recognizes the signature belonging to his best friend. It's the dobe, why is he here? Sasuke had not sent word that he would be returning so how did Naruto find him? His Sharingan slowly spins to life for precaution, he senses that it's just a clone.

"Sasuke-teme! You bastard, why didn't you send word you were coming back?!"

Honestly, Sasuke wasn't surprised that Naruto had found out that he was heading back towards Konoha. His sage mode probably sensed his chakra a mile away.

"hn" he gave him a look curious to why he would come all the way out here.

Somehow connected to his thoughts, the blond continues nervously "uh-well I just- I have some news about Sakura-chan…"

"Just spit it out," the Uchiha says sternly.

"She's missing," Naruto says.

Sasuke's eyes widen. Missing? How could Sakura be missing? Not again. She was strong enough to take on a whole flock of ninja alone, how could she be captured again, and why wasn't Naruto there.

"How can she be missing?" he snaps "Why weren't you there to help her".

Naruto can feel the ominous chakra from Sasuke "Kakashi-sensei says its most likely because of her hospital stuff, after her shifts she's usually drained of chakra, she can't defend herself when she's all worn out from hospital duties".

"How long?"

"Over a month, we thought she was assigned on a long term mission but when I asked Kaka-sensei" he pauses, "he said she wasn't on any mission"

The dark-haired man feels rage boil within him, his aura getting dark and murderous, he quickly passes by Naruto.

"Hey-hey! Teme where do you think you're going!".

"Back to Konoha" he replies before punching the clone that disappears in a cloud of smoke.

He's going at an incredibly fast pace -Well, he was always the fastest at the academy, so it wasn't a surprise- His thoughts are revolving around Sakura, the darkest most twisted thoughts, she could be dead, or barely alive.

Suddenly the two big doors of Konoha come in view, the guards not even noticing the Uchiha due to his fast pace. He quickly darts into the village towards the Hokage's tower.

He slams open the door to see Naruto and Kakashi turn back to see him, both with worry and concern plastered on their face, no doubt regarding their pink-haired teammate.

"Took you long enough teme," Naruto says lightly punching him greeting his best friend.

Kakashi just simply nods in acknowledgement. There was no time to catch up, they needed to send out a search team and fast.

They had found out that something was wrong when it had been over four weeks that she hadn't shown up at the hospital. Naturally, everyone just thought that she had been on another mission to Suna regarding the children's clinic there. But when Kakashi stated that she had not been assigned on any missions is when they started to worry.

Naruto had left to check her apartment. His mouth drops open when he entered.

The walls are all battered up, there's debris covering the floor. One of her walls broken down. And a pool of now dark dried blood on the floor, no doubt belonging to Sakura. Naruto had dashed to the Hokage's tower to report this finding.

Unable to sense her chakra with Naruto's sage mode, they had thought it would be best to call Sasuke back.

Anything that was able to defeat Sakura would be a formidable opponent. Any normal jounin level shinobi would be defeated easily by her even if her chakra was drained.

This lead to a conclusion that she was either poisoned when her guard was down or ambushed by a flock of jounin level shinobi.

Sasuke tries to shake the dark thoughts that started to grow in his head during the briefing about the possible reasons why she had been captured. They discuss her possible whereabouts, but with no lead or clues, they are at square one.

It had been a month, she could be anywhere by now. Naruto going into sage mode could not detect the location of her chakra, it was the smallest flare. Like a candle in a storm.

Naruto and Sasuke set out first thing in the morning to search for their missing teammate.

After multiple dead leads, and weeks of searching, the pair had just about looked through all the land of fire. Its been almost three months since she's gone missing.

They've gone to every city asking the locals whether they've seen a pink-haired ninja roaming about. it wasn't hard to notice her bright smile, green eyes, and hair of the most unusual of colours. All replies were negative, however. It seemed as if she had just disappeared into thin air.

Her chakra is continuously unable to be detected, in the busy streets of each village, there isn't a flash of pink anywhere to be found.

Nothing is helping them get closer to finding their female teammate.

.

They've decreased their pace, slowing down momentarily to take a break from their search. Throats dry from the constant yelling of her name. Legs tired from countless hours of running. They settle in the shade of a -ironically- sakura tree. Both panting and out of breath from their search, they feel the breeze of the hillside. And breathe in the scent of the Sakura tree. Both minds plagued by their pink-haired friend.

Slowly the sound of heavy breaths in the air quiets. Sakura's voice flows through Sasuke's mind, her bright viridian eyes looking into his, her pink hair caressing his cheeks. His Sharingan allowing him to vividly remember the times she had confessed her ever dying love to him. Guilt eats at him slowly.

"She still loves you; you know? Even after you left for so long, she never stopped" Naruto says abruptly, out of nowhere, breaking the silence.

Sasuke grunts in acknowledgement, his eyes filled with guilt, concern, a mixture of emotions.

After a short pause, the blond continues "and you love her too don't you?"

The Uchiha's eyes widen, he turns to look at his best friend.

"_What?_" Sasuke asks, a little surprised that the knucklehead ninja had found out.

Naruto gives a small scoff "Teme, you think I didn't see the way you looked at her before you left on your dumb journey? It was only a matter of time."

Guilt swimming within the raven-haired, if only he had told her sooner. Now he may never get the chance to. Sasuke decides to just 'hn' without saying anything further.

They drag their tired bodies up and resume to their hunt in searching. Now their power being driven by the pure adrenaline to find their precious teammate.

Naruto yells 'kage bushin no Jutsu' and suddenly a barrage of Naruto shadow clones are in service, all searching for a flash of pink. Sasuke darts from tree to tree hoping to find the familiar chakra signature that is Sakura. Her warm soothing chakra he had felt before when she'd heal him.

Their search continues, neither one of them giving up. The thought of losing another person so close to them was unacceptable and unthinkable. Sasuke wouldn't be able to live if he had lost her. She had been there for him at the worst and lowest points in his life.

During the time in prison and the trial before his journey, she had been with him and kept him company. Reassuring him that everything was going to be alright.

When he was in the hospital after his fight with Naruto, she had tended to his every wound personally, knowing that some people had held grudges against her, he was thankful for that, and he had let her know.

Sakura visited him whenever she could while he was in prison, bringing cherry tomatoes every time and a warm aura. She played a major role in his freedom, arguing against the elders on his behalf.

Losing her would be like losing his family all over again.

.

_Sakura Haruno_

_status: presumed dead_

.

Today marks four months of her missing.

Most would've just assumed that she'd be dead by now, the rest of the village had thought. But both boys continue to frantically call out their teammates name. Voices almost going hoarse from hours and hours of screaming. There was no way that she would be dead. Sakura is too strong, she would never let a nobody group of shinobi take her down.

They've almost searched throughout the whole five shinobi nations, scanning every village they come across from. But not one single clue about their pink-haired medic is heard.

Everyone knew the strong successor of the sannin and fifth Hokage, medic Sakura Haruno who saved thousands of lives during the war, smile as bright as the sun with eyes outshining the most precious emeralds.

But no one knew where she was, they'd all presumed her dead.

Naruto heads in the opposite direction of Sasuke, searching an abandoned village, hoping to find Sakura in the ruins or any sign of her whereabouts. While Sasuke heads towards the forest filled with trees and debris from previous battles of possible rogues.

While Sasuke was investigating a muddied ditch. Underneath the shrubs, tree branches and moss. He seems the familiar flash of pink that doesn't mix in with the usual green forestry. He does a double-take. And he cautiously brushes away the debris.

There in the ditch lies a Sakura drenched to the bone with blood and dirt.


	2. The new Sakura

**hi here's chapter 2, ill try to finish typing this tomorrow, its late right now so imma sleep. please tell me if I made any mistakes because sometimes ill miss a few words or two, and please do tell what I should change to make the story better thanks for reading, enjoy!**

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_sakura...?_

Her body lays lifeless in the ditch.

Her red qipao ripped and tattered revealing her stomach. The fabric of her shirt and pants a shade darker, from blood soaking into it. There are scars all over her arms and legs, some open and still bleeding. Her blood glistening under the sun and mixing with the dried dirt and blood. Her hair lies limp, the usual pink gone, replaced with the crimson red colour of blood. There are bruises on her face, and cuts lining her cheekbones. And her usual rosy complexion is replaced with ghostly pale in rival to Sai.

Sasuke's blood runs cold, and his breathing stops. His hand is clenched in a tight fist, his knuckles turning white. Suddenly it's like the night of the Uchiha massacre again.

Memories of his dead parent's plague in his mind, their lifeless bodies lay on the floor, blood-soaked in their clothes. His dead brother with blood trickling down his face, tapping his forehead one last time. The bodies of the people most precious to him lay dead on the ground with blood splattered everywhere.

Rage burns within him so much that he's trembling, oh boy would he kill whoever did this to _his_ Sakura, and they would be sorry for it. His anger bleeds into life in the form of his mangekyo Sharingan. Whoever did this to her he'd break every single bone in their entire body, light them up with Amaterasu and make them relive it with his Sharingan over and over again. He would show no mercy.

Behind him, he senses Naruto's chakra and soft footsteps approaching him rapidly.

"Sasuke-teme what the hell do you think you're doing just standing there, come on we need to go find Sak-"

Naruto's cuts himself off when he turns towards the direction Sasuke is looking at so intently, the eyes of the blond widen in horror and rage as he sees his pink-haired teammate lie lifeless in the ditch.

Blue cerulean eyes now darkened with anger. The blond is filled with so much rage he's tempted to unleash Kuruma at full power, to try and find who did this to their beloved friend.

"Sakura?" she doesn't respond to the call.

Cautiously Sasuke crouches down beside her and lifts his two fingers towards the crook of her bloodied neck. Hoping to find somewhat of a pulse or a sign that she's alive.

An instant wave of relief washes over his face as he feels a faint thump from her neck and a flicker of chakra in her system. Shakily standing back up. He eyes his teammate, taking in her physically battered up form. Trying to contain his rage and thirst for revenge.

Sasuke slowly swoops her up with the help of his Susanoo and the trio quickly make their way back to Konoha.

Their pace is faster than the normal human eye can register, they make it back to Konoha in one-fourths of the time and immediately Sasuke rushes her to the hospital. While Naruto heads towards the Hokage's office to report.

Sasuke bursts through the doors and runs to the lobby of the hospital with a limp Sakura in his arms. Yelling at nurses to pay attention to the pink-haired shinobi who lies limp in his arms.

Everyone stares dumbfoundedly at the last Uchiha holding a presumed dead Sakura Haruno in his arms.

A swarm of nurses approach the dark-haired man holding their head medic in his arms, who is apparently still alive. Suddenly she's taken away from his hold. He almost growls at the loss of her warmth.

Immediately Sakura is being seen hooked up to machines and prodded with needles. Green hands are glowing frantically over her bloodied form. He idly stands there frozen unable to provide any form of help. Distantly hearing the nurses shout over one and another. Words of encouragement are heard, pleading Sakura to' please hold on' and 'wake up' .

Tsunade and Shizune show up to see what the sudden commotion is about, and instantly the godaime curses and shouts orders and begin to work on trying to save their beloved head medic.

The next few days pass like a blur. Naruto and Sasuke were discharged from the hospital and were told to stay at home and rest. Their five-month mission took a toll on them, yes they were both tired but none of them could even bear the thought of sleep. With their precious teammate in critical condition, they lay restless in their beds at night. Tsunade had told them that Sakura had multiple wounds but was saved just in time. She seemed to have slipped into a coma. The only thing they could do now was wait.

Sasuke stays by her side for one whole month, not giving one thought to the visiting hours, or how long he had been by her side waiting for any signs of movement. He watches her chest rise and fall with each breath she takes. Her hair splayed on the hospital pillows. And her thin frail figure hooked up to multiple machines.

He's left with his thoughts due to the quietness of the room. Except for the soft hum of the machines she's being hooked onto, and the occasional beep.

Shizune had explained that Sakura had slipped into a comatose shortly after she was stable, possibly due to exhaustion, and her body needed the rest. But her waking up was unlikely and unpredictable. It could be months or even years before she would wake up.

The time passes slowly, he listens to the soft tick of the clock. She doesn't seem to be waking up anytime soon. Sakura still looks the same as the first day of her comatose, no progress. She continues to lay limp on the bed, face still pale. Any sign of life seems to be slipping further and further. His eyes slip shut while he tightly grasps her hands and intertwines their fingers slowly. He softly brushes his thumbs back and forth on the back of her hand. He eventually surrenders to another night of sleep filled with nightmares.

.

The quiet sound of clicking wakes him up.

Snapping his eyes open, his mind is hazy and a little dizzy. Eyeing the bed, and quickly noticing the absent pink-haired medic. He immediately panics, picking up his tired body and looking around the room.

His gaze lands on a pair of dull emerald eyes looking back at him with curiosity.

She stands there in her medic coat, hair tied into a small messy bun, holding a chart while giving him a questionable look.

"Sakura?" Sasuke asks, voice filled with confusion.

What the? She was just in a coma last night, how is she standing up and walking in her working attire?

"Uchiha-san, I'm not quite sure why you are here in the hospital, but it seems like you are sleep deprived. I suggest you lie back down and get some sleep, if you can't sleep I can prescribe you some sleep medication perhaps?" she says while giving him a smile that he deems unrecognizable.

"Sakura." He greets, somethings off with her, he can sense it. She never calls him 'Uchiha-san' never in a lifetime would she ever call him that, and that smile doesn't radiant the usual warmth he'd been so used to his entire life.

"Yes Uchiha-san?" she asks.

"Why are you calling me 'Uchiha-san'?" he says, a little bit of irritation seeping through his voice.

She gives a light chuckle "I'm sorry Uchiha-san I'm not quite sure what else I'm suppose to greet you with, if you want to I can regard you as Sasuke-san if that would make you feel for comfortable?." she asks as a small silence falls between the two, he gives her a fixed look. she quickly turns on her heel towards the door "Now if you'll excuse me, I have other patients to check on, a nurse will be by soon with your discharge papers" she says as she walks out the door leaving a baffled Uchiha sitting in the room.

About a million thoughts are running rampage through his head right now. She wasn't happy or surprised to see him back, in fact, she didn't show any emotion at all. She was just in a coma yesterday and now she's suddenly up and walking? And what is up with this Uchiha-san? She acts as if she doesn't recognize me.

Something is incredibly off, her usual radiance and bright smiles are gone, and her chakra seems different. Maybe she's trying to put up a wall and block me out because of our past. Damn, I've hurt her so much that she can't even act normal around me anymore.

His thoughts and analyzation are interrupted when Naruto walks into the room with a questionable look painted on his face as he looks towards the direction that Sakura had just walked off to. He looks at Sasuke with a confused expression.

"Hey uh, teme? Did you talk to Sakura-Chan?" he asks.

Sasuke's head snaps up "hn" .

"She's acting a little weirdly don't you think 'ttebayo? She acted as if she didn't know me at all. And she called me 'Naruto-Sama'! And how is she walking up and about when she was just in a coma yesterday!" Naruto all but yells.

His eyes immediately widened at this and he gets out of bed in one swift motion. He had thought she'd acted like that to avoid any awkwardness due to their past.

"There's something wrong" he states, he knows there's something wrong.

"But Tsunade Baa-Chan and Shizune said that she was perfectly normal!" he says throwing his arms up in front of his face.

They both quickly race through the hospital in search of their female friend. The pair finds her in her office, Sasuke roughly shoves open the door. They're greeted by her behind stacks and stacks of paperwork, she seems to be ignoring them or just oblivious to their presence at all. Which is weird knowing how loudly the door had slammed open.

Suddenly Sakura stands up, without making any eye contact or acknowledgement of the two men, walks past them.

Sasuke and Naruto blink and looks at each other, trying to register what the hell just happened. They quickly follow their teammate down the hall and outside the hospital, she is somewhat oblivious to their trail.

She walks without any signs of exhaustion, despite just waking up from a coma a day ago followed up with a 14-hour shift. They trace her until they arrive at her apartment. Everything seemed to be normal except her unusual disappearance of exhaustion. Her chakra is drained, and there are dark circles under her eyes, yet she walks normally.

They jump onto a tree facing her window. She unlocks her apartment door, walks in without taking her shoes or doctors coat off and falls onto her bed. Sakura seems as if she's being controlled. She falls onto her bed, shoes, and working attire still on. And lays there motionless falling asleep. Entirely missing the pillows and sheets. And oblivious to the two strong chakra signatures of her teammate outside her window.

Sasuke and Naruto stand on the tree outside her apartment thinking to themselves what the hell was going on with their female teammate. The pair watch her shallow breathing as she drifts to sleep. Motionless like when she was in a coma, and a seemingly uncomfortable sleeping position. In unison, Naruto and Sasuke both decide to go pay a visit to Kakashi and report this peculiar behaviour regarding their medic-nin. Hoping that he might have an idea of what was going on for her odd actions.

.

They walk into the room not bothering to knock.

"Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-Chan's been acting all weird and strange ever since she woke up, dattebayo!" he says in his usually loud boisterous voice.

Sasuke idly stands by and 'hn' in agreement.

Naruto continues "She called me 'Naruto-Sama'! She never calls me that, and she called Sasuke-teme 'Sasuke-san', she didn't even punch me in the head today! It's like our old Sakura-chan is completely gone!".

One of Kakashi's grey eyebrow cocks up. His eyes narrowing palms to his chin, seemingly deep in thought.

After a brief period of thinking for the grey-haired Hokage, he speaks up again.

"What did Tsunade say about her checkup and health?" he asks

"Tsunade baa-chan said that everything checks out fine! Which is why we're asking you!" the blond exclaims, no doubt worried with the peculiar actions of their pink-haired teammate.

"I fell asleep by her side and when I woke she was walking around like nothing happened," Sasuke explains.

Naruto continues for him "so we went to her office after her weird greetings, and she stood and walked out without even acknowledging us -ttebayo! then she was walking home perfectly fine even though she was just in a coma and a 14-hour shift!"

"she looked as if she was being controlled," the Uchiha says

"Many things could've happened during those four months" Kakashi states "And the condition you both found her in could mean she was possibly captivated and tortured for information, maybe a seal was put on her as a last resort."

The mood in the whole room changes, anger seeping out of Naruto and Sasuke's skin. Sasuke's eyes turning blood red. They were both thinking the same thing. Whoever did that to their Sakura is as good as dead.

"Meanwhile, you both will keep an eye on her, to make sure nothing goes wrong." Kakashi says "If anything, out of the ordinary occurs, you will report to me and me only. This is an S-ranked mission."

The blond and raven-haired man nod and disappear in a cloud of smoke.

.

Her odd behaviour drags on from days to weeks.

Its been about four weeks, and she's completely changed. 'Sakura' doesn't acknowledge any of the Rookie 9 or seem to know who they are. She speaks to people only if necessary and mostly her patients.

Sakura is either avoiding them or she really just doesn't know everyone.

Any trace of her past self is gone, it seems as if the old Sakura had never existed.

Sakura trains in the early mornings from five to nine then head to the hospital to work from nine to midnight none stop. She doesn't seem to be eating any food or taking care of herself. The only thing she eats is a soldier pill, one every day, enough to keep her alive.

What they had seen on the first night of Sakura in her home, now repeats every day.

During these weeks her teammate closely tails her every move to see if there was anything out of the ordinary. They report her changes to Kakashi daily.

.

One morning as Sasuke followers her to the training grounds, he observes her training.

She's made a clone of herself to spar with. And the spar looks heated. Traps are set and kunai are flying everywhere, the ground is crackling under her as she sends a chakra infused punch towards the earth. Rocks and debris flying above her and around her. Dust flying in the air covering her form, her hair now a rusty shade of pink.

He watches her in admiration at just how much she had grown. He remembers the weak girl that he and Naruto had to constantly protect turn into a powerful kunoichi even surpassing her master. She had become much curvier. Her legs longer and more toned. She had indeed blossomed into a more mature and beautiful woman. Her hair was in a neatly cut bob with bangs swiftly swept to one side showing off the years of hard work that is her byakugou.

But he had missed that cheeky personality of hers as well. Her short temper and feisty nature. He'd miss her smile, the genuine ones she gives to her closest friends, and her gentle laughter like music to his ears. The soft rosy blush that would dust over her face whenever she sees him.

She pauses the spar to take off her jacket and gloves. Blood and bruises are covering her hands. She's wearing a cropped black net shirt with black ninja shorts. And that's when he sees it.


	3. I'm back

**hi here's the final chapter, um I hope you like it. sorry if it seemed like a letdown. I'm, not a good writer. so if anyone wants to rewrite it please do. I just want to read a good sasusaku fanfic lol. and sorry if it's too short. I'm not quite sure how to make it longer. I went back over the other chapters like three times trying to beef it up a little so it was longer. anyways once again, leave a review if you want to. and please tell me if there's any grammar mistakes that I was too lazy to look over, or any changes that should be made, enjoy!**

* * *

His bloodline trait spins rapidly, bleeding into the familiar crimson red and that's when he sees it, a seal. A seal that he's never seen or encountered before – given the fact that he's come across nearly every Jutsu and seal possible – on her lower hip.

It's a well-hidden seal, and he would've never had seen it if not for his kekkei Genkai. He suspects that the seal is the culprit for the weird behaviour Sakura had been displaying ever since her coma.

Swiftly the Uchiha leaves his hideout on the tree and approaches the pink-haired kunoichi. Landing softly beside her on the training grounds. Avoiding the set traps skillfully and smoothly. Sasuke looks into her eyes, her lifeless, dull green eyes.

A short silence engulfs them, onyx captured by emeralds.

Then as if something in Sakura had snapped, she starts throwing a barrage of attacks towards him. He finds himself trapped on the ground by two Sakura's – a kage bunshin and the original-, and a kunai at his throat.

Her grip is tight, he groans, damn her super inhuman strength. Their faces are inches apart, their eyes locked, and closely he sees the swell of tears in the corner of her eyes.

_Sasuke-Kun please stop me..._

Something in her eyes shift. The dull, lifeless green eyes now overwhelmed with emotion. Yet her body tells a wholly different story.

He quickly gets up and starts to counter her attacks. It only made it harder when she had the intent to kill, but he didn't want to harm a single cell in her body. Sasuke aims for the clone first, the fewer opponents with the strength of a hundred men the better.

She doesn't seem to be in control of her own body. While she sends punches and kicks, her eyes are swimming with an excessive amount of emotion – pain, guilt, concern, anger, happiness. Sakura was trapped in her mind. Attacking the person, she loved most, unable to stop herself.

The fight lasts for several aching long minutes, wood and pieces of the earth hovering in the air. Shuriken and kunai flying around. This fight was getting nowhere and he knew it, he had to end this.

Sasuke flash steps behind Sakura, just like he had 7 years ago.

He murmurs a soft "I'm sorry Sakura" and hits that familiar spot on the back of her neck. She drops and falls unconscious into his arms.

Curious and angry, he spins his Sharingan to life once again to see what had occurred that lead Sakura TO her current predicament. He digs into Sakura's memories of the past 8 months when she was missing.

_He opens his eyes and sees the night sky of Konoha. He notes that she had just come out of the hospital after nearly spending a week can feel her tired body being dragged, her breath comes out raggedly, back aching, mind clouded, and heart hurting._

_No doubt because of him._

_Sakura breathes in the cool air of Konoha, the light breeze feels soothing on her skin, yet forming goosebumps. She's illuminated by the moonlight in the most angelic way possible._

_Sasuke watches as she makes way back to her apartment, fumbling with the keys due to her trembling hands, eating a small simple meal of onigiri and an apple. She takes a shower, water blistering hot falling onto her skin, and flops onto her bed ungracefully earning a small chuckle from Sasuke at her cute antics._

_Sakura stirs awake moments later and sees a group of ninjas in white masks, he sees the drowsiness in her eyes, clouded with sleep. Sasuke promptly remembers these people. He had encountered them on his travels, they called themselves the second foundation. Trying to revive the ways of Danzo and the Akatsuki, intending to finish what Danzo had started._

_They had tried to kill him, calling him obscenities and talking down to his clan. The second foundation had somehow come up with a poison to temporarily stop his bloodline trait. They were a strong group of shinobi with enhanced powers, similar to Kido's men, no wonder Sakura had been captured even in her drowsiness state._

_He sees her struggling to get up and fight back, though Sakura seemed unaware, he saw that she was injected with a chakra blocker and sedative, which only made it even harder for her to counter their strikes. _

_Next thing he knows, she's being kicked through the wall. Sakura lies limp on the ground with blood pooling around her, vision blotchy, pain spreading to every nerve of her body. Sasuke watches as the long brown hair man takes off his mask and smirks._

_His vision blackens, and he knows she's fallen unconscious._

_Sakura wakes up in a cold dim room, the concrete walls uncomfortable against her blood-soaked skin, the cold sending shivers up her spine. Her arms and legs are bounded with chains, blood continues to trickle down her chin nonstop, her eyes bloodshot. _

_She shifts painfully, the ache in her stomach from the kick that could not be healed. The scratches on her skin from kunai are opening again from the shifting, causing more blood to ooze out._

_Suddenly the door opens and in walks the long brown-haired member of the second foundation, the leader. Ako, Sasuke remembers. The brown-haired man simply observes Sakura for a moment, smirking before punching her stomach hard. Causing Sakura to involuntarily cough out blood._

_The leader crouches down towards her limp form until they're at eye level._

_"Pinkie, you want to tell us where that damn Uchiha scum boyfriend of yours is?" the Ako asks._

_A glare, so sharp it could cut glass is sent from the pinkette "fuck. Off. Id never tell you where he is." _

_Another punch. And another cough._

_"I'll only say this once, If you won't tell us where he is…" his threat Is left unfinished as another punch is lunged at her form._

_He continues his interrogation regarding Sasuke's whereabouts at the pink-haired kunoichi goes on for months. Each time, she curses back not releasing one bit of information. _

_This continued for three months. _

_Sasuke watches as Sakura's been cut, electrocuted, punched, stabbed, and burned. Multiple jutsu's were used on her making it infinitely more painful. For months, she's been tortured in every agonizingly and excruciatingly possible way. _

_Yet no information slips out of her mouth._

_A face with so much beauty, now scrunched up in pain. Pink, delicate locks now a darker shade, plastered, sticking to her face. Bright emerald eyes, now shut and rolling to the back of her head._

_Sasuke's heart clenches unbearably as he watches this memory unravel in front of his eyes. Rage rising at a rapid rate._

Watching this happen to the only girl his broken heart could love.

_It's like living the Uchiha Massacre again._

_His guilt swallowing him as a whole. As long as he's here, the people he loves will continue to hurt because of him. 'tch, stupid girl! Just tell him already!' he thinks, instead of being tortured she should've just told them his location. _

_Sakura knew he was in Kumo, so why didn't she say anything! He can't bear to watch her as she bites her lip drawing more blood from the force of the bute, trying her best to swallow her screams of pain._

_Sasuke watches her limp body fall towards the cold ground lifelessly after another round of torture. Her blood, her...blood is everywhere. The scars and bruises littering her body, unable to be healed by her byakugou due to the chakra suppressors. He hears a sigh of defeat come from the leader._

_"pinky I guess if you won't corporate then I'll have to make you," he says with a smirk_

_He weaves signs and instantly a seal is appearing on her hip burning into her skin. Streams of tears mixed with blood pouring from her eyes. This time, she's unable to bite back her scream. _

_Sasuke's body freezes, the scream of pure pain falling from her lips, it physically hurt him to hear this. _

_ Then all of a sudden it all stops. Her body freezes, and her eyes slowly turn from pain to a dull lifeless green._

_"here's what you'll do pinky, when that scum of an Uchiha comes back you'll break him into pieces, destroy him and kill him," he says with a grin_

_A wave of confusion hits the Uchiha's face 'If this was the order given, how come she had suppressed the order until now?"_

_Slowly, Sakura's head lifts, he sees a flick of brightness within them. The realization hits him 'she had been trying her best to control her seal and protecting him by avoiding everyone' Sakura is indeed the strongest kunoichi, but in team 7, Sakura was mentally the strongest out of all of them._

_'Sakura has done so much for him. She had been supporting him through thick and thin, even when he had tried to kill her twice. All she ever wanted was his happiness, and this is what fate has awarded her with? She deserved so much, so so much.'_

_He didn't deserve her, that much he knew; she was too pure for him. But If she would continue to accept him then he'll give her everything he has to offer._

_He watches as they throw her into a ditch, not giving one-second thought on whether she's still alive or not._

Sasuke blinks and comes back into the real world, anger causing his eyes to spin rapidly into a completely different pattern, now mangekyo. Rage seeping through his skin, Sakura in his arms is the only thing holding him back from dashing towards the hideout of the second foundation and massacre everyone there.

He runs towards the direction of the hospital. After he makes sure she's stable and in good care, he'll follow through with his sweet revenge.

Once again, walking into the hospital with a limp and unconscious Sakura in his arms. This is turning into a normal routine, he sighs.

Tsunade instantly approaches him and bombardons him with a million questions. "Uchiha! What do you think you're doing to my apprentice!" she yells.

He isn't the least it intimidated by the blond woman, Sakura had just the fiery temper, maybe even worse than her masters.

"She has a seal on her hip" he blandly states.

The Godaime quickly pries Sakura away from Sasuke's arms, placing her on a gurney and pushing her towards the OR.

Sasuke sits outside waiting for her pink-haired teammate. She's been in the operating room for hours now. From time to time he can hear her scream in pain. The sound is so loud it echoes down the empty hallway of the hospital.

His heart clenches at each cry, he balls his fist, nails digging into his palm drawing blood.

He had informed both Naruto and Kakashi what had happened. How he'd find her at the training grounds with a seal on her hip. They ended up doing some research on the forbidden seal used on Sakura. it turns out it's a kind of seal that traps the person in their mind, like a puppet. The victim follows the orders given while being conscious of their actions, unable to do anything about it.

Sasuke relays what he had seen in her memories. What she had gone through the four months that she had been captured. Guilt mixed with rage bubbling within him as he tells the events she had experienced to his old sensei and best friend.

After reporting all information, he has on her. The look of murder in Kakashi and Naruto s eyes would scare anyone with a glance. Kakashi sends out a group of ANBU to track down her captors, they would be executed no doubt for their actions on a fellow allied shinobi.

Naruto and Sasuke had gone with the group of ANBU, Sasuke knowing where the hideout was from Sakura's memory, lead them towards the direction of it. Kicking down the door with a little too much force, they immediately ransack the place. Not one member escaped, and all were under custody and chained.

Of course, with the leader and men beat to a bloody pulp by a certain Uchiha for revenge, he is, after all, an avenger. The satisfied smirk playing on the Sharingan users' lips as he drives his fist over and over again towards the brown-haired mans face.

With around fifteen of the members behind in cuffs, they bring them towards interrogation and leaves them with Ibiki. Their trail is set in a few days, their deaths are a given.

The duo sets their pace towards the hospital room of their pink-haired kunoichi. Naruto quietly taking a seat next to Sakura while Sasuke leans against the window. They listen to the quiet hum and beeps of the monitors that she is being hooked up to.

The blond leaves after a few hours, having to go home to spend time with his worried wife. Leaving a guilt-ridden Uchiha sitting next to her.

Once again intertwining their fingers, his eyes swimming with concern and relief. Still unable to come to terms for what Sakura had just gone through for three months...for him. Accepting the endless days of torture, not giving one ounce of information regarding his whereabouts though she knew.

Her scars and bruises are still evident on her skin, they haven't faded away just yet, she had done a good job covering them up before that even the Uchiha didn't even notice.

Sasuke looks at her form, no doubt does he feel relief that his Sakura is finally here in his grasp. Safe, away from harms reach. He rests his head on the mattress of the hospital bed. He can smell her vanilla shampoo mixed in with the sweetness of a scent that is so very Sakura like. He slowly drifts to sleep in content, thinking that it was finally over, he was _home_ where he'd belonged.

.

Sakura wakes up, jolts of pain running throughout her body from the tips of her toes all the way to her head.

Coughing and immediately wincing at the pain on her hip. Sasuke's head snaps up at her sudden movement. She sluggishly opens her eyes instead of the hospital ceiling lights, her emeralds are met with a mismatched pair of worries and concerned eyes.

Confusion hits the pink-haired kunoichi's face, the past feel months dizzy in her mind.

Suddenly the memories of the days she spent in the cold room hitting her like a wave. The endless amounts of pain she felt, and the attempt at biting back her screams. Every cut and every stab, the taste of iron in her mouth. Feeling powerless and weak. Tears run down her cheeks and she starts sobbing, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Sasuke quickly pulls her up into a gentle embrace whispering 'it's okay, you're safe now' like a mantra on his lips. The thin material of his shirt slowly soaking with her tears. He pulls back and his hand automatically flies up to wipe the tears off her cheeks with his thumb. Her eyes widen with surprise when she finally realizes who it was in front of her.

"Oh hey Sasuke-Kun, you're back!" she says a small smile mixed in with tears still running down her cheeks.

His hold on her tightens, not tight enough to hurt her but still strong nonetheless. He pulls her back into an embrace "stupid girl, why didn't you just tell them my location" he mumbles.

"Sasuke-Kun you know I would never do that. I would never want to put you in any danger when I can prevent it," she says voice a little dry.

He tucks his head into the crook of her neck "Why would you go that far for me" he asks a little stunned.

"Because you're a dear and precious teammate to me" she gives a light giggle.

A little bit hurt, he repeats "teammate.."

She watches as his gaze diverts from hers, her confusion clouded eyes suddenly clearing with realization.

"Tch, Sasuke-Kun! What did I tell you, I forgive you, no matter what you will always-"

His lips are suddenly crashing into hers, effectively cutting her off. She freezes, unable to process what just happened before she all but melts against him.

Lips passionately massaging against each other, moving in sync. His hand tilts her chin and slants his lips harder on her, deepening the kiss. After what seemed like hours, they pull apart panting for air.

"Sasuke-Kun wh-"

"I love you" he whispers against her lips.

The tears in her eyes are welling up once again, she softly brushes her lips onto his and whispers "I love you too". Her hand is placed on his chest and he can only hope she doesn't fell the rapid beating of his heart. They pull apart a moment later.

He knows he can't leave her, not again. She can't get repeatedly hurt because of him.

She's waited long enough.

"come travel with me" he gives a chaste peck on her lips "Marry me" he blurts out without a second thought. He doesn't take them back though; he means it with his whole heart.

Her eyes widen at his words, momentarily frozen by them. She gives a beaming smile that causes his breath to hitch.

"Okay," she says as tears stream down her face, before she kisses him tenderly once again.

.

_"I'm home Sakura"_

_"Welcome home Sasuke-Kun"_

.

After a few days, she's discharged from the hospital. Told well more like ordered and threatened to take it easy from her hospital duties. Shizune is stepping in to take care of her workload as the temporary head medic.

Sakura's friends visit her in her room with flowers and gifts. She sends apologizes to every person she sees for her behaviour in the past month. They'd all brush it off, everyone knew that it wasn't her.

Some desperate fanboys would rush into her room confessing their undying love and giving gifts. Sasuke had to growl and scare them off with a glare from his Sharingan and Rinnegan. Causing Sakura to merely laugh at her lover's antics.

Sasuke decides to stay in Konoha for a few months until Sakura is deemed fully healed physically and mentally.

During the night he pulls her close to his chest in a protective manner, with a heavy arm around her waist. As if embracing her any less tightly would mean her slipping away. Her head is tucked under his chin and he draws soothing patterns on her back. She's never felt so content and protected in her life.

On many nights she'll stir in his embrace and wake up in the middle of the night with a cold sweat, screaming. Like his nightmares, she relives the time when she was captured, tortured painfully.

But he was always there with her, drawing soothing circles on her back, sifting his fingers through her hair, embracing her ever more tightly, telling her that everything was alright, he was here to protect her now.

He walks her to and from the hospital every day. Knowing that she's the most vulnerable when she's low on chakra, despite her disagreeing. He drags her out of the hospital when it got too late, she would protest, but he had ways of making her give in -smirk-.

Three months pass by, and her friends are waving goodbyes at the Konoha gates. This time around, she's not saying goodbye to Sasuke anymore. She's going with him, and Sakura can't seem to be able to wipe off the smile on her face. She hugs everyone and waves them goodbye.

She was so caught up in her thoughts she doesn't realize that Sasuke had stopped walking. Sakura completely oblivious to his sudden halt walks straight into a wall of muscle.

Sasuke looks down, one of his eyebrows cocked up amusement swimming in his eyes, and he smirks. His smirk only widens as he watches her saying 'sorry' repeatedly with heavily flustered cheeks.

He walks past her giving a small chuckle and turns. He reaches out his arm and offers her his hand.

"Ready?"

She nods, intertwining their fingers excited for the journey ahead.


End file.
